A Sliver of Hope
by Hypo Prower
Summary: Tails finds an invitation to the wedding of Scourge and Fiona, and gets really mad.  Sonic decides he will back his friend up, but how far will this former boyfriend go?  Rated K plus for minor intense violence.
1. Never to be Seen Again

Chapter One

Sonic looked worriedly at his sneakers as he listened to Tails bawl inside his house in Freedom HQ. The fox hadn't come out of his house in 15 hours. He just sat there, crying. Sonic hadn't the foggiest idea why, but he was getting ready to find out.

Sighing, the blue hedgehog knocked on Tails' door. No answer. Sonic quietly opened the door and peeked inside at his friend.

Tails was a mess. His eyes were just about bloodshot. His pillow, which he had been crying into, was soaked with tears. The two tails drooped over the side of the bed. Sonic walked over to his bud and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Tails?" he asked softly. "It's me, dude. Sonic." Tails looked up with a furrowed brow. "Go away," he said shakily. "I really don't want to…talk to you right now." Sonic looked away momentarily to compose himself.

"Yeah, but if I did that, we wouldn't solve anything, would we?" Sonic softly pulled Tails' head up and looked into his teary eyes. "Will you at least tell me what's got ya?" The fox wiped away some of his never ending tears.

"I thought that…I…had a second chance," he said. "I thought there was hope. I thought there was that silver lining. I thought…well, I thought it wasn't over." Sonic looked quizzically at his friend, who was starting to tear up again.

"C'mon, don't start again. What's the matter?" Tails looked up into the hedgehog's eyes, nothing but sheer misery filling them.

"Fiona. She's…she's marrying Scourge!" Tails slapped his eyes and started bawling again. Sonic didn't know what to say. He was at loss for words.

"How, uh, did you find this out?" he said, not knowing how to comfort his friend. Tails walked over to his dresser and pulled out a slip of paper. He handed it to Sonic.

"The wind blew this into Freedom HQ today," he explained. The blue hero looked over the paper. It seemed to be an invitation. It read:

You're invited to…

The wedding of Fiona fox and scourge hedgehog.

Taking place on Friday, September 28 at 9:00am sharp.

Located at Meriwether church.

"Well, bud, you…um, you kind of knew it would come to this, and…" Sonic didn't have the heart to go any further. He just sat with Tails while the fox cried his heart out for the lost love of his life.

It seemed like hours before any of the two said anything. Finally, Tails broke the silence. "It's just…so hard to believe," he said in between sobs. "I thought that Fiona still had some good in her…that somehow, someway, the Freedom Fighters would influence her, but…" Sonic nodded in silent agreement.

Suddenly, Tails got off his bed and walked over to the door. Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going?" Sonic asked. The fox didn't turn around.

"When I was younger, you taught me to have a solution to any problem I encounter. I know what to do to find my solution." Sonic sighed. He knew exactly what Tails was going to do.

"You…you want me to come with you?"

"No. I can get out of anything I encounter."

"Alright."

"And, don't wait on me, either. I can take care of things myself."

"OK. See you." But as the two-tailed fox walked out of the door, Sonic wasn't so sure that he would ever see Tails again.


	2. My Girlfriend has been kidnapped!

Chapter Two

Tails squinted his eyes on the horizon. The darkness of the night had just about taken over, but there was enough sunlight left for Tails to see the bar at the end of the road. He followed it, knowing Fiona was there.

As the fox opened the creaky door, he spotted Fiona and Scourge, sitting and laughing. He took a deep breath and walked up to the two fiancés.

Scourge was the first to notice Tails, as Fiona had her back to him. The green Sonic imposter smirked. "Well, look who it is," he commented. "That little twerpy Freedom Fighter, Tails." Fiona turned around, her expression giving nothing away.

"What do you want, kid?" she asked. Tails looked deep into his crush's blue eyes.

"Fiona…" he answered, but quickly snapped out of his trance. "I…I want to talk to you. Alone," he added, glancing at Scourge. The hedgehog stuck up his eyebrow mockingly.

"Dude, I wanna spend every moment with Fiona now, until our WEDDING…" Scourge put emphasis on the last word, as if to rub it in Tails' face. The words stung the fox, but he stayed strong.

"Please, just for a minute," he persisted. Fiona rolled her eyes and turned to Scourge.

"Alright, let's humor him. 'K, sweetie?" The hedgehog smirked and stood up.

"I'll go get us another drink," he said sweetly.

Fiona turned to Tails. "Alright kid, whaddya want?" Tails took another deep breath before answering.

"Fiona, you…you can't marry Scourge!" Tails felt a tear forming in his eye. "If you marry him, then…"

"Then what?" Fiona prompted. "You can't marry me?" The younger fox stood dumbfounded as Fiona rose from her table. "Listen, kid, I thought you learned your lesson when I first started dating Sonic. I thought you learned it again when I slapped you back when Scourge and mine's little secret was revealed. I guess I'll have to teach you again. You know, for someone with so many smarts, you're pretty stupid." Tails' tear dropped to the ground as Fiona pointed at his face.

"You're an all-right kid. But I don't like you. Not in the loving sense, anyway. I'm never going to marry you. Kapish?" Tails shook his head furiously.

"I don't care!" he cried. "I don't care if you marry Sonic! I don't care if you marry Knuckles! Just don't marry Scourge…you'll never fight for good again! He's a bad influence, Fiona!" Tails took a couple of breaths. "I can't make you understand. I guess I'll have to do this the hard way."

As Scourge approached the table, Tails lifted up Fiona and hoisted her on his back. "Lemme down, you little freak!" The red fox screeched. Scourge dropped the two drinks he was carrying and sped after Tails. But the fox was quicker. He spun his tails with great ferocity and flew out of the bar with a cloud of dust. Scourge skidded to a halt and stared at them fly away.

The green hedgehog spun around and walked up to the bartender. "Call the police," he said. "My girlfriend's been kidnapped!"


	3. A Freedom Fighter No More

Chapter Three

A full moon shone in the pitch-black night as Tails flew into Freedom HQ. He quietly entered his house, Fiona struggling on his back. "Put me down!" she persisted. Tails sat her down on his bed. The fox was furious.

"How is this going to solve anything?!" she asked. Tails took her hand. He looked determined.

"Fiona," he said. "You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I know, you've made some mistakes in the past. I have too. I also know that deep down, deeper than you can ever imagine, you're good. You want to fight for justice, not evil." Tails bowed his head, looking for the right words. Finally, he brought his eyes back to Fiona.

"Fiona Fox," he sighed. "Will you do me the great honor of…marrying me?" Fiona was at loss for words. No one had ever spoken with such intensity to her. Not Scourge, not Sonic, not Bean and Bark.

The red fox jerked her hand out of Tails' grasp and smacked him clear across the face. "Jerk," she said. "You know I'm getting married this week. Besides, you aren't my type." Fiona stood up and walked over to the door, but before she could, it opened from outside.

Sonic walked in. "Hey, I saw you fly in bud, and I thought…what?!" Sonic's eyes bulged out as he locked eyes with his former girlfriend. "Fi…" he said. Then he looked past her to Tails. "Dude, what's this all about?"

Tails looked down and twiddled his thumbs. "I…I'm…I'm holding her captive, OK?" Both Fiona and Sonic looked shocked. Fiona smirked and walked over to the two tailed fox.

"Listen, Tails, I can get out of your little house here anytime I want to. And I want to right now, so step aside, Sonic." As Fiona tried to leave, though, Tails leapt up and grabbed her arm. The red fox jerked her head over. "Lemme go!" she said. Tails shook his head.

"No!" he said. "I won't let you marry Scourge. You're going to be a Freedom Fighter whether you want to or not!"

"Tails!" Sonic cried. "Stop kidding around!" Tails glanced down, shame burning his face. The blue hedgehog walked over to him and pried his hands off Fiona.

"Listen, bud, I know she means the world to you. But don'tcha think that she's old enough to make her own choices?" Fiona snorted.

"Yeah, I especially don't need help from some loser like you." Sonic turned his head around.

"Shut up, Fi," he said. He turned back to Tails, whose eyes were beginning to well up. "I'm really sorry, bud. You win some, you lose some. I know it's hard to take in, but Fiona doesn't love you. Apparently, she loves Scourge. So you're just gonna have to…" Tails looked Sonic square in the eye, determination burning within his blue eyes.

"No she doesn't!" He ran past Sonic and grabbed Fiona's hand. "I don't care if she doesn't love me. But I KNOW that she doesn't love Scourge!" He looked up at the red fox, both sadness and determination filling up his gaze. "Fiona, please, I'm begging you…I'm trying to prevent you from making a huge mistake. Please…believe in me."

Fiona held her gaze for a moment, staring into Tails' eyes. Suddenly, a loud voice sounding over a megaphone cut through the still night air.

"Come out with your hands up! We know you're in there!" A different, familiar voice sounded over the megaphone as well:

"Yeah, and bring my girlfriend too, you little runt!"

Tails looked uncertainly at Sonic, who exchanged a weary glance as well. What was Tails to do?

Fiona burst out of the house with a huff. Scourge's eyes lit up as he saw his fiancé.

"Fiona!" he cried. They hugged for a moment, and then Scourge turned to the police troops. "Get the small one in there," he commanded, as if he were the police chief of them all. The officers ignored him and began tromping toward the house.

Tails turned to Sonic desperately. "What are we supposed to do?" he asked. Sonic looked around, and finally blinked sternly.

"Bud, we're gonna take out every one of those troops. Scourge too." Tails stared in disbelief at his friend.

"But…why are you doing this for me?" Sonic smiled and put his arm around Tails.

"Because we're pals. I know you love Fi, no matter what _I_ think of her. Besides, I still need to repay Scourge for his little "drop in"." The Prower fox smiled at his hero.

"Now, c'mon," he said, opening the door. "We've got some troops to smash."

Sonic met the police at the door. "Step aside, Sonic," they said. "We need to get your little friend there." Sonic did his little devil-may-care smirk at the troops.

"Really?" he asked. Suddenly, he leapt into the air and spun into a ball. "Not on my watch ya don't!" Tails followed Sonic's lead and flew into the air. He began thrashing at all the guards, while Sonic took care of the remaining.

Sonic then began making a beeline for Scourge. "Tails! Get Fiona to a safe place!" The fox nodded and grabbed Fiona's arm, but faced retaliation.

"Get out of here!" the red fox cried. "Leave me alone!" A kick in the chin told Tails that she didn't want to come with him.

"No!" he persisted, yanking Fiona's arm again. "You're making a mistake! Please, just come on-…" A screeching Scourge interrupted Tails sentence as the hedgehog flew by. Sonic sped past him with a smirk.

"I'll finish up here, bud. Get Fi outta here." Tails nodded. He grabbed the fox's arm again.

"Just gimme one more chance, Fiona. I promise that I'm not lying." Fiona gazed at Tails and sighed wearily.

"Alright," she said in an annoyed tone. "I'll humor you for a little longer." Tails smiled and released her.

"C'mon. I know where we can go." The two foxes ran off, leaving Sonic and Scourge to their tussle. As Tails looked back, Sonic had stepped on Scourge's belly as the green hedgehog lay limp on the ground.

Elias Acorn and his sister, Sally, gave each other hopeless gazes. A tear fell down Sally's cheeked. "Elias," she said. "You…you do realize that father may not make it through tonight, do you not?" The squirrel king nodded.

"I…I hope that I've pleased him through his life. That I've been…a good son." Sally smiled.

"Elias, I can't think of a better ruler right now than you." The two siblings stared at the paintings across the walls of Castle Acorn of past rulers in the Acorn family. Soon, Elias might have to have one as well.

Suddenly, the castle doors swung open, and Tails and Fiona rushed in. Sally and Elias's eyes flew open. "Tails, what on Mobius…?" Sally asked as the two foxes halted in front of the royals.

"My king," Tails greeted formally by bowing at Elias. He turned to Sally. "My princess…" Sally rolled her eyes.

"Knock it off. Now, explain yourself at once. Why have you brought this criminal into the royal walls of Castle Acorn?" Tails searched for the right words, but he couldn't find them. Sally turned to her brother.

"Let me handle this. Why don't you go check up with Doctor Quack?" He nodded, and strode away.

The princess squirrel turned to Tails and Fiona, who was looking very annoyed. Sally looked at her sharply.

"Fiona, you betrayed us," she said. "You were in cahoots with a villain when you were supposed to be a Freedom Fighter. You are no longer welcome here." Fiona stuck out her hands.

"Don't look at me," she said. "That little runt is the one who brought me here. I'm just along for the ride." Sally rolled her eyes and leaned down to face Tails.

"Sweetie, I understand how you must feel right now. I know that you've gotten some mixed feelings about people over this whole ordeal, but she's a criminal now! You can't just lead her in here without…" Tails raised his head sharply.

"I'm sick of listening to you!" he said. "If I can't live the way I want to, with someone I love, then I guess…I guess I can't be a Freedom Fighter anymore!"


	4. Our Hearts in Love, Forever

Chapter Four

Sally gasped. Fiona stared down at Tails with surprise. Tails lowered his head and spoke to his friend.

"Sally, I've always wanted to be a Freedom Fighter. I dreamed of the day I would be able to go one missions like you and Sonic. But, I guess if you can't accept me…" Sally was at loss for words. She searched Tails face for some kind of answer, but there was none.

"Tails, you can't just leave," she said. "I, I mean, I guess you could, but…" Suddenly, the doors to Castle Acorn swung open once more, and Sonic the Hedgehog entered with pride on his face. He smiled at the sight of Sally.

"Hey Sal. Why so surprised? You look like you've just been given a cursed crown or something." Sally looked up to face the hedgehog.

"Well, it's just that Tails announced that he would be…resigning from the Freedom Fighters." Shock flooded Sonic's face.

"What?!" he swung his head over to face Tails. "Dude!" Tails faced Sonic with defiance.

"I'm a young adult," he said. "I can do what I want, when I want." Sonic lifted his gaze to Fiona.

"This is about you, isn't it?" he asked. Fiona didn't answer. "Answer me!"

"Why should I?!" she asked sharply. "I don't wanna be here! I've met the man I want to spend my life with, and I don't think that some little bratty kid can change any of that!" Fiona smiled dreamily. "Scourge stole my heart."

"He also stole the power from the Master Emerald," Tails pointed out weakly. "He could hurt you at any time." Fiona spun around to face Tails.

"You've just quit the Freedom Fighters. They're your home. What exactly do you plan to do?" Tails puffed out his chest and grabbed Fiona's hand.

"Follow me," he said. Fiona looked puzzled, but followed the fox in silence. Tails paused and looked back at Sonic and Sally.

"Goodbye," he said. "You've taunted me, treated me like a baby, but I guess that counts for building self-esteem. Thanks--thanks for nothing."

Sonic and Sally stared flabbergasted as the two foxes strode out of Castle Acorn, their backs turned.

"Why?" Fiona demanded as the doors swung shut. "Why did you just do that? Being a Freedom Fighter was, like your whole reason for existence. Why did you quit?"

Tails sighed at the question and looked Fiona in the eye. "I did it because I love you." He said firmly. "What I just said was probably the hardest thing to say in my life, but I wanted to prove to you that I would do anything for you, Fiona." The fox nodded, touched by his words.

"Well, thank you, I guess. I…we better go wake up Scourge, huh?" Tails waved his hand.

"Nah, we better just leave him. Security can take care of him later. Why don't we just go?" Fiona was Tails' puppet.

"OK."

"Tails wait!" Sonic's voice sounded behind the two. Tails glanced at Fiona.

"Let's get outta here," he muttered. "Pretend you don't hear him." The foxes dashed off, passing a dazed Scourge, and disappeared into the forest.

"Tails!" Sonic screamed again. "Tails…no!" Sonic paused at the forest's edge and wiped away the ever flowing tears. He had lost his best friend…forever.

The End


End file.
